Powerful Christian Witness
25
your children must travel. As you do this, your light will shine to those
without
From every Christian home a holy light should shine forth. Love
should be revealed in action. It should flow out in all home intercourse,
showing itself in thoughtful kindness, in gentle, unselfish courtesy.
There are homes where this principle is carried out—homes where
God is worshiped and truest love reigns. From these homes morning
and evening prayer ascends to God as sweet incense, and His mercies
and blessings descend upon the suppliants like the morning dew
Results of Family Unity—The first work of Christians is to be
united in the family. Then the work is to extend to their neighbors nigh
and afar off. Those who have received light are to let the light shine
forth in clear rays. Their words, fragrant with the love of Christ, are to
be a savor of life unto life
The more closely the members of a family are united in their work
in the home, the more uplifting and helpful will be the influence that
father and mother and sons and daughters will exert outside the home
Good Men Needed More Than Great Minds—The happiness of
families and churches depends upon home influences. Eternal interests
[38]
depend upon the proper discharge of the duties of this life. The world
is not so much in need of great minds as of good men who will be a
blessing in their homes
Avoid Mistakes That May Close Doors—When religion is man-
ifested in the home, its influence will be felt in the church and in
the neighborhood. But some who profess to be Christians talk with
their neighbors concerning their home difficulties. They relate their
grievances in such a way as to call forth sympathy for themselves;
but it is a great mistake to pour our trouble into the ears of others,
especially when many of our grievances are manufactured and exist
because of our irreligious life and defective character. Those who go
forth to lay their private grievances before others might better remain
at home to pray, to surrender their perverse will to God, to fall on the
10
The Review and Herald, January 29, 1901
.
11
Patriarchs and Prophets, 144
.
12
Manuscript 11, 1901
.
13
Letter 189, 1903
.
14
Testimonies For The Church 4, 522
.